PUMA and F1 have collaborated with the renowned American music icon A$AP Rocky in an effort to broaden their reach and explore the intersection of streetwear, fashion, and sports.
A$AP Rocky, a multifaceted music artist, creative, and designer, recently entered into a multi-year creative collaboration with the esteemed sportswear brand PUMA. This groundbreaking partnership, deeply rooted in the motorsport industry, positions Rocky as the Creative Director for the category, focusing on the seamless fusion intersection of sport and streetwear. Through this enduring collaboration, Rocky will focus his energy and dedication on creating unique collections curated by him, which will shape the brand’s future seasonal designs and enhance PUMA’s new alliance with F1.
PUMA, with its rich history and tradition in the sport, is excited to delve into the potential of streetwear and fashion beyond the race track. Rocky, with keen fashion sense, style, and cultural expertise, is expected to pave a new path and provide a fresh experience for the growing F1 audience.
As per PUMA’s announcement, Rocky’s influence on the brand will be implemented in phases. Initially, he will focus on a creative exploration called ‘in the lab,’ adopting an incubator-style approach to determine the direction he can take the category.
Following this, Rocky will impact PUMA’s visual and video content. In his first campaign as both creative director and producer, he will delve into the car culture in America and examine its influence on streetwear and fashion.
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Furthermore, by the end of 2023, Rocky will release a highly exclusive PUMA x F1 collection. This collection will consist of apparel and accessories, providing a glimpse into a sequence of capsule collections that will revolve around prominent F1 races in 2024.
In 2024, Rocky will direct his creative focus towards various Grand Prix races commencing in Miami. These assortments have been conceived and crafted by him in collaboration with the PUMA and F1 teams. He will curate engaging experiences at each race and assume the role of creative director for all marketing endeavors associated with these collections.
By 2025, Rocky will fully immerse himself in the comprehensive creative design of PUMA x F1 products, encompassing racewear, fanwear, and fashion. He will continuously engage in marketing activities to disrupt the industry through innovative product design and marketing strategies.
This revolutionary collaboration between Rocky and PUMA comes a few months after global music icon and cosmetics billionaire Robyn ‘Rihanna’ Fenty, who is also Rocky’s partner, signed a similar sports-inspired deal with PUMA, further establishing the couple’s exceptional impact in the fashion and sportswear sector.
Reacting to the partnership, A$AP Rocky said, “Working with brands as iconic as PUMA, and as innovative as F1, has been truly inspiring. When the world sees what were doing, I believe a shift will happen with how brand’s approach taking risks and working with diverse creatives.”
“We couldn’t be more excited to be working with A$AP Rocky,” said Maria Valdes, PUMA’s Chief Product Officer. “He’s incredibly talented, deeply thoughtful and invested in our brand. He will showcase his vision with elevated F1 race capsules globally which attract new audiences and undoutably disrupt the track. In the future, he will influence the broader PUMA x F1 range and will continue to help push sport and culture forward.”
Further emphasizing the impact of the partnership, Oliver Boden, Head of Licensing and Gaming at F1 said, “This announcement marks an exciting milestone in our partnership with PUMA A$AP Rocky’s creativity and commitment to innovation aligns perfectly with F1’s vision and development in apparel. We look forward to collaborating with him to design and curate the PUMA and F1 range and insert F1 into new cultural and lifestyle spaces.”